


Our Words are Carried by the Wind

by nctinee



Series: Erlebnisse [8]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Conclusion: I love them, Doyoung just wants to finish his paper, Doyoung owns a pickup truck because I said so, Doyoung takes Yuta to the beach, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung is Whipped, Late at Night, M/M, Nakamoto Yuta is a Little Shit, Slice of Life, Yuta has insomnia, but that isn't very important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 02:17:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21129137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nctinee/pseuds/nctinee
Summary: Doyoung just plans to finish his Advanced Chem. paper and go to sleep, but he ends up helping out his best friend instead.





	Our Words are Carried by the Wind

**Author's Note:**

> This is purely indulgent, and I do not regret it.

_“You said I could come to you if I needed you, right?”_   
  
_ “Of course Yuta. Forget what happened to us in the past, I’m here now,”_   
  
_ “Oh, okay. Well, uh. Yeah,”_   
  
_ “Yeah,"_

Doyoung, being the responsible school student he is, is naturally up until 3 a.m. trying to write an Advanced Chem. paper that he totally did _not_ put off until last minute, is interrupted by a beep from his phone on the nightstand across the room. And with all of the people he knows, he’s surprised this hasn’t happened sooner. Doyoung isn’t really the person you text if you’re up and awake at this time, but hey, you never know.  
  
He gets up from his desk and walks over to his bed, trying to keep it quiet for his roommate, and picks up his phone. The brightness of it makes him wince and shut his eyes momentarily before checking whatever interrupted him from getting his work done.  
  
It’s a text from Yuta. Who one, barely ever texts anyone, and two, if he _does_ text someone it wouldn’t be _Doyoung_. This surprises him for sure, because Yuta is such a character that you can never predict what he does. But with the text being so vague, in classic Yuta manner, he knows this isn’t a prank.  
  
  
nayutaaa: withou asking questions, could you come pick me up? you know wher e my dorm is  
  
dondon: Yeah, I’m omw  
  
nayutaaa: k thanks  
  
  
So clad in his checkered pajama pants and university sweatshirt, Doyoung hops in his olive green pickup truck and drives on the other side of campus to pick up Yuta, all thoughts of an Advanced Chem. paper far from his mind.  
  
  
  
When Doyoung pulls up to the entrance of Yuta’s dorm building, he sees the boy in question standing in sweatpants and a plain t-shirt looking lost and tired as hell. He’s beginning to piece together a story as to why he texted Doyoung so late at night—or early in the morning? Doyoung never knows—and this image proves his theory.  
  
Doyoung pulls the truck in front of Yuta and parks, and waits for the boy to get in. They sit in awkward silence as he waits for a clue as to why he was pulled away from important classwork, but Yuta says nothing. He’s glaring at the dashboard while his hands are balled up in his lap, eyes still looking sleepy. He still looks cute though, Doyoung admits to himself. A sleepy and semiangry Yuta is cute to him. Doyoung scoffs in his head.  
  
“So, why the hell am I parked in front of your dorm room at 3:30?” Doyoung asks, looking at the road in front of him.  
  
“Couldn’t sleep,” Yuta answers, still glaring.  
  
_Bingo._  
  
“Ah,” his voice softens, “so what do you want me to do?”  
  
“Can you drive? I just-need something to calm me down,”  
  
Doyoung pauses and thinks that through, but he knows his mind has already been made up. There’s no way he wouldn’t help Yuta. He can be mean and so truthful that it hurts, yeah, but he wouldn’t kick his friend to the curb.  
  
So he takes his truck out of park and pulls away, driving off, away from campus and away from the thoughts that plague them.  
  
  
  
A half an hour later, Doyoung and Yuta find themselves standing at the shore of the beach that’s not very far from where they live. Doyoung doesn’t really like the beach much, but he does appreciate the calming effect it has on him. The sound of the waves is therapeutic, his therapist told him once. It can be different sounds for different people, and to Doyoung, it felt like his worries were rolling off of his shoulders as he stood watching the dark water.  
  
Yuta had gone as far as to stand _in_ the water, the bottoms of his sweatpants getting soaked as the water moved backward and forward. His body from what Doyoung could tell, was like jelly, untensed and lax as Yuta stood and breathed with the ocean. His eyes were closed but his head was tilted toward the moon, and Doyoung thought he looked beautiful.  
  
Everything about Yuta was really. The way he smiled so easily and was happy about a lot even though he had a whole “bad boy” image was admirable, and Doyoung envied that about him. Yuta’s smile when he was laughing or talking about something or someone he loved was breathtaking, and his laugh always made Doyoung laugh no matter what it was. Yuta was so strong even when he cried, and Doyoung wanted so much for Yuta to be free of whatever made him so sad.  
  
Being here with Yuta made Doyoung realize how grateful he is for the other, and for how far they've come as friends.  
  
Yuta clears his throat and turns his body to the side without looking down, holding his hand out in Doyoung's direction. He can't see his face because it's almost pitch black, but if Doyoung had to guess, he'd say Yuta was embarrassed. It takes a few seconds for it to click that Yuta wanted him to take his hand so Doyoung stands there like an idiot before Yuta clears his throat again and snaps Doyoung out of whatever stupor he was in. He takes his hand and Yuta leads Doyoung to stand next to him in the water, both now getting their shoes and bottom of their pant legs wet, but Doyoung doesn't mind.

_"Why do you think things went so wrong between us?"_   
  
_ "I don't know. But I want it to change. I really do like you, you know that?"_   
  
_ He smiles. "Yeah, I do,"_

Fingers intertwined, Yuta leans his head on Doyoung's shoulder and breathes in deeply, still looking out at the ocean. Doyoung thinks this is the most peaceful he's seen the other since school started, and he's glad it's just him to witness it.  
  
Yuta's now brown hair is long enough that it just reaches his shoulders, but Doyoung can still barely see the tattoo behind his ear.   
  
It's what some people would call cliche, but Doyoung thinks it's perfect. Considering Yuta's actually Japanese and not a white girl trying to look philosophical, he figures he gets a free pass on this.  
  
The cherry blossom branch goes from top to halfway behind his ear, with small blooms on the branches and petals falling from the branch to somewhere past his neck, and Doyoung can't look away. He doesn't exactly remember when Yuta got that tattoo, he just knows that one day he didn't have it, then he did. In perfect Yuta fashion, of course.  
  
The symbolism of the cherry blossom is bittersweet. They are beautiful on the tree and make the land look ethereal, but they also remind us how short life really is. To many, cherry blossoms are a reminder that even though it seems like it, we don't have much time in this life.   
  
If you've heard of the acronym YOLO, then you'd know what the tattoo means. But Doyoung never really liked that saying, so he uses one he heard in a speech long ago. YLOO. You live only once.  
  
Sure, it sounds dumb just saying it as an acronym, but to Doyoung, you live only once has stuck with him so much more than you only live once ever has.  
  
The cherry blossoms seem so fitting for Yuta, a boy who had to grow up so much faster than one ever should, and who never takes one thing for granted. It hits Doyoung in the face sometimes, with how grownup Yuta acts, and it makes him a little sad.  
  
Doyoung presses his lips against the side of Yuta's head and lingers there for a few seconds before pulling away and leaning his head against the other's, breathing deeply. He's content, just standing here with Yuta and feeling more than listening to the waves hit his body and mind.

_"Do you ever think we'll ever get a chance to live how we want to? Be the people we want to be?"_   
  
_ "Well I'd like to think so. What would the point of all this be then? Just a ha-ha from the guy upstairs? A, "You almost made it, but not quite?" No, I won't believe that. I can't,"_   
  
_ He pauses_   
  
_ "You're really amazing, you know that?"_   
  
_ "Well duh. I'm me,"_

"Thanks for being here. I really needed this," Yuta whispers, words almost inaudible.  
  
"You're welcome Yuta. You know you can always come to me when you need something, yeah? I'll always be here," Doyoung replies, looking down at the other.  
  
"Yeah, I know, but still. You're always there for me and I just feel like I don't do a lot for you. I just want you to know I appreciate what you're always doing for me,"  
  
"You don't have to do anything in return Yuta. You being you and being happy is enough for me,"   
  
_You make_ me _happy_ is what he wants to add, but he's a chicken so he doesn't. Maybe Yuta will get the message without him saying it. He hopes he does.  
  
Doyoung checks his watch and alarm bells start going off in his head, because they've been standing here staring at _water they can't see very well_ for 40 minutes and Doyoung has a morning class to get to.   
  
He shakes the hand that's holding Yuta's a little to get his attention because he's gone silent again, and says, "It's 4:10. We need to get back,"  
  
Yuta responds with a hum and lets himself get tugged away from the shore, eyes unfocused. He's stumbling a little and Doyoung knows he's tired.  
  
He leads Yuta into the passenger side when they get to the truck and buckles him in, chuckling at how he immediately closes his eyes once his head hits the headrest.  
  
Doyoung hops in the driver's side and starts the truck, pulling out of the parking lot and beginning the drive back to campus. Doyoung sings along to Circles when it comes on, thumbs tapping against the steering wheel as he sings under his breath so he doesn't wake the other. He feels strangely alive in this moment, words of a repeating love story filling his ears and making his body move along. It gives him hope that maybe he won't live his life on loop.  
  
Little does Doyoung know that Yuta watches him dance along to the song, smiling as he sings under his breath. These little happy moments make Yuta glad that they're in the place they are now, and thankful that he has a friend like Doyoung.

_"Who are you behind all the smarts and perfection Doyoung? Because all I see is someone scared out of their mind,"_   
  
_ "We're all scared Yuta. You, me, our parents, our friends, we're all scared! We don't know what's going to happen or what's going to set us back, but we have to live on! Fear is just one thing standing in our way, and you have to push past it,"_   
  
_ "Don't give me that shit Doyoung, you know what I've been through. I don't need that talk, okay? I've had it with that. I've had it with everyone telling me I need to "Get over it, live your life, be who you want," that's not how it works! And I'm fucking tired of it!"_   
  
_ "Then find something to wake you up,"_

Yuta is sound asleep by the time Doyoung pulls in front of his dorm, so he makes a decision he'll probably regret in the morning and drives to his dorm and carries the other boy inside.   
  
Despite how small he looks, Yuta is heavy, even if Doyoung is just carrying him from his truck to the elevator to his dorm room. Yuta actually has muscle, and Doyoung has twig arms, okay?  
  
He opens the door as quietly as possible and shuts it with his foot, dropping Yuta on his bed with as much care as his tired arms will allow. He takes off Yuta's and his own wet shoes and puts them in a corner of his room, as well as slipping out of his wet pajama pants and putting on a new pair. He really wants to do the same for Yuta, but doesn't want to do it without his permission for obvious reasons, but also doesn't want to wake him up to ask.  
  
His Mother Instinct eventually does take over and Doyoung shakes the other on the shoulder, and waits for him to wake up.  
  
After a few more shakes, Yuta groans and slaps Doyoung's hand away, then turns over and nuzzles his head into the pillow. _Doyoung's_ pillow, to be exact, but he doesn't want to think about that.  
  
"Yu, you need to change your pants, your legs are gonna get cold," Doyoung reasons, pulling Yuta back over so he can face him.  
  
"Mm no, too comfy," Yuta hums, eyes still closed.  
  
"For God's sake—Yuta, c'mon. Please?"  
  
"Mm-mm,"  
  
_Okay, so he's gonna be difficult. Different approach._  
  
"Okay, so when you wake up later and your legs are cold, you better not ask me to help. You had your chance,"  
  
Yuta doesn't immediately reply, and his brows furrow slightly as his sleepy mind tries to understand Doyoung's sentence.  
  
"...Okay. My legs won't get cold,"  
  
"Okay, if you're sure. Goodnight Yuta,"  
  
And lo and behold, just as Doyoung turns away a hand reaches around his wrist and tugs him back. Yuta makes a noise and wiggles his feet, and Doyoung smiles.  
  
"Okay. Fine, you win. Now gemme some pants,"  
  
"Gladly,"  
  
He tosses Yuta a pair of sweatpants he had in the bottom of his drawer and turns away to go brush his teeth in the bathroom.  
  
When he comes back into the room Yuta has wrapped himself up in Doyoung's blanket (this dude has _taken_ over his bed, but that's what he gets for being nice) and he wants to squish his cheeks.  
  
Now, this presents an issue. Yuta is still tired and now dressed in Doyoung's clothes, so taking Yuta back to his dorm is out of the question. And Doyoung is also tired and has a class in 4 hours, so he really needs sleep. There is a simple answer to this predicament, and Doyoung doesn't want to believe it.   
  
Honestly, what kind of k-drama life is he living right now. It's a 'They do something weird at night' cliche mixed in with a 'They have to sleep in the same bed' cliche. What the fuck.   
  
Yuta, the ever sensible one, senses Doyoung's predicament and sighs, flipping over the blanket in invitation for Doyoung to get in. He mumbles something that sounds like a "My God, it's one night Doyoung," but he's pretty sure he imagined that.  
  
So with slow feet, Doyoung walks over to the very small bed that was definitely not made for two people and gets in under the covers next to Yuta. They're both on the edge of consciousness to oblivion so that makes everything a bit easier. He can feel Yuta's leg next to his and it's scorching under the blanket, but Doyoung doesn't dare move. He's stiff as a board and very uncomfortable, but it's what he's going to get.  
  
And Yuta, the savior once more, just mumbles a very clear, "Oh my fuck Doyoung,", rolls over, and wraps an arm around Doyoung's middle. He tangles their feet together so neither of them fall off and it just gets five times hotter thanks to the extra body heat. Doyoung's face is also on fire, but he's not sure from what.  
  
So Doyoung accepts his fate and slings an arm over Yuta while nosing into the other's hair and breathing in deeply. He's totally not smelling Yuta, definitely not. It's not like the smell of sea breeze and lavender totally calms him or anything.   
  
Eventually, Doyoung's brain shuts off and both boys fall into a deep slumber, wrapped in each other.

_"Why me? You had lots of other friends, but you came up to me. Why?”_   
  
_ “Because in that one little moment, you showed me what it was like to be alive,”_

Doyoung wakes up by the ghost of a touch on his face, and he’s in a state of calm that he’s never felt before. He opens his eyes by a sliver, and all he sees is Yuta’s eyes reflecting the sun. He’s so close that Doyoung can count his eyelashes and see how effortlessly beautiful Yuta looks in the mornings.  
  
In the moment, with the two just staring at each other and taking in all that’s happened the past few hours, two things happen.  
  
One, Doyoung is hit with the amount of affection he holds for his best friend, and that _holy shit I like this guy_ starts swirling around in his head. He remembers how the first time they met, Doyoung made some dumb comment about Yuta’s appearance that hit way too close to home for the other, and they were on the rocks for a while after that. They would jive at each other in the halls and make a rude comment about the other when they walked by, and their friends _hated_ it. And now every day Doyoung picks out Yuta in a crowd of strangers or friends first, or he’ll think of something random that reminds him of Yuta and want to tell him about it. Yuta has filled every nook and cranny of his life, and he can’t help but want more.  
  
And two, Yuta sneezes so hard in Doyoung’s face that he’s flung off of the bed and onto the floor, hitting his head on the nightstand on his way down. It’s silent for a solid five seconds, then at the same moment, Doyoung groans so loud and Yuta starts cackling like it was the funniest thing on the planet.   
  
And Doyoung, in all his germ-covered glory, starts laughing too, and now they’re just two people in a college dorm, not so grown up.   
  
  
  
In the end of this whole extravaganza, Doyoung realizes he missed his Psych class by half an hour and just decides to skip it even though it's a bad idea. Yuta gets him a tissue to wipe his face off then rejoins him in the bed, giggling all the while. They end up in a tangle of limbs and hushed whispers as they lay there for a few more hours ignoring the world around them. And maybe Doyoung confesses to Yuta about this new information, and maybe Yuta says the same back. Maybe Yuta kisses him and maybe Doyoung feels like he's exploding.  
  
But that's just a maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> 3,000 words about Doyu? In two days? Yeah, sounds about right.
> 
> Hope y'all have a good day/night! Catch you on the flip side *salutes*


End file.
